Sunset Valley swison

open to all, esp dfg/moonglow :D

"whoa."
the valley glistened with frostweave rivers of ice. it was an ancient, sloping bowl, cut through by swathes of dark-green forest and utterly wild.
thousands of caribou ranged across the gigantic floor of the primeval place. they stood in clumps or ran in thin stringing herds, one-following-another.
heda saw the tracks they left in the snow, which had fallen in far greater amounts here than she had seen before. she had had been impatient during her wait for mireille, and would not have hesitated to let her sister @Druid and the seawolf follow in her own tracks.
but it had been worth it. she caught her breath, watching two wholly unfamiliar white wolves cut a limping caribou from a small herd. they wove among the healthier beasts with seemingly no fear.
heda was mesmerized.

whatever words had been shared upon the coast, mireille knew she would not allow this opportunity to pass her. 
as soon as she was able, she had left sapphique.
their journey had been marked by a curve inland. little by little the sea was left behind. nova peak soon reared between the coastline and the trio. she had not allowed herself to stop.
but here the air was filled with the trilling of unfamiliar birds. she could not hear the ocean. and though she had been built for the strong coastal winters, by contrast this atmosphere seemed quite dry.
her coat was frosted each morning they woke.
in misery and unsureness, she pressed close to druid. but heda's voice was filled with such excitement that mireille heartened, and after a shiver, stepped forward. her own intake of breath was hushed. 
it was a scene she did not think she could have imagined. she stared at the caribou, at the wolves, at the tall and mysterious woodlands. at the glacier rising not far off, at the mountains beyond them.
mireille did not speak. she looked further, at the curious and unnatural mounds of snow that seemed to have activity around them.

coraline had not been invited on this journey. she hadn't wanted to be invited, either. surely mireille knew that she preferred the safety of the cliffs, and coraline assumed that this was why she was not asked to come. but that wasn't the reason she cared little for the notion. if it was, she would not be here.

following.

from a considerable distance, at first, but unwittingly she closed it further every day, until finally she had drawn ahead too far. there they were, in the distance — halted, staring into the valley. coraline froze, fearing discovery, and began to retreat.

cameo unless they notice her!

This time, it was Heda who swept up Druid in the excitement of a journey. Happy to oblige her sister, she bade @Witch, @Sequoia and Rivenwood farewell for a few days. Together, they collected beloved Mireille and the three girls turned eastward to venture toward the northernmost stretches of the taiga.

When they came to observe a herd of caribou being hunted by unfamiliar wolves, Druid felt herself quivering. She was at once excited and overwhelmed. Heda seemed exalted by the views and Mireille appeared similarly intrigued. Druid pressed back when the latter touched against her, heartened by the knowledge she was not alone in her over-stimulation.

While she crouched beside her friend and sister, Druid heard Mahler’s voice in the back of her mind, along with her own. “But are you ready to hunt vith other volves? Perhaps the vones in Duskfire?” “I’ll do my best.” The young she-wolf drew in a breath and raised her head to get a better view, mustering up her confidence.

Tag in case you wanna be the other white wolf the kids spy!

Following his investigation of the prey population with @Nyra and his subsequent agreement with her, to spar when he thought she was fit enough, Kigipigak had gone out of his way to find something edible to keep her energy levels up.

While it was Kukutux that dealt with the womanly arts of healing, it was up to Kigipigak and the rest of the village to keep everyone fed and happy. He excelled at this task.

He had scoured the hillside for a good vantage point and from there, sought the sheltered places where small creatures might reside. He worked while the children gathered to watch — unaware — and stopped every so often to observe the large ungulates as they meandered together distantly.

After a few unsuccessful attempts to find anything worthwhile, Kigipigak turned his attention fully to the caribou and began to stalk the outer limits of the herd, trying to suss out a weak point that he could then report back to Lote, or Aiolos, or whoever might come to aid him.

when the man turned, surveying one of the animals, heda caught sight of a line along his mouth. but the trio were at too great a distance for her to see what it actually might be.
remembering how steady issoratuyok seemed always to be, how mahler chose each word, the girl chuffed to her sister and to mireille. the war-child descended into the valley, marvelling at how odd and different the taiga felt underpaw.
the thundering of hoofbeats grew. heda's mouth gaped for a moment. caribou galloped and whirled and snorted and stamped, throwing up a thin mist of snow. she could taste the color of their pelts.
the man was ahead of her, testing the herd.
"hello! i'm —" her words were drowned out, and so she only mutely pressed to the wolf's flank. "we want to help!" she volunteered in a shout, all three of them offered to this hunt.
heda had not even checked to make sure that druid and mireille had followed.

mireille could scarcely believe it when heda began to traipse down the grassy ridges toward the perfect stranger. she drew back beside druid with a dismal look, her innate haughtiness highlighted suddenly and starkly upon her crimson face.
mireille was at once aware again of the dry snow and the loud, milling, smelly beasts, and the absolute absence of the sea. she was seized by homesickness and regret for ever having left sapphique.
but she glanced at druid for comfort. if the rivenwood girl followed her sister, then mireille would pad at her flank, utterly miserable but curious despite her own self.

The precious little aplomb she managed to gather disappeared instantly when Heda surged forward to not only mingle with the strange hunters but volunteer all three of them as assistants. Druid’s heart leaped into her throat as her mismatched eyes followed her sister’s movements, lips parted slightly as if prepared to shout a warning. But she remained mum, exchanging overwhelmed glances with Mireille.

She wondered if her friend could feel the thrum of her heart fluttering against her rib cage. She remained rooted to the spot for long moments, trying to regather her nerves. It was a lingering sideways glance at the redhead which fortified her. Mireille was out of her element too. Druid could empathize with her, even as she tried to step up and make her companion more comfortable in this situation.

I’ll be right beside you, she murmured, teeth combing fondly through the soft furs gracing Mireille’s fine cheekbones. Drawing in a breath and bumping her shoulder against the other girl’s, she took a tentative step forward, then another, drawing up behind the much braver Heda as she silently ascertained the situation and, namely, the strangers.

<3 !

 


Nyra took it upon herself to investigate the caribou alongside Kigipigak. Though she was unable to take part in the great hunt between Moonglow and Duskfire Glacier, the monolithic Warmaiden did what she could to be of help.

Weaving through the herd with the Northerner, Nyra pricked her ears at the voices of youth. 
Her head turned to them briefly before her stark white pelt melted into the numbers again.

Quietly, she drew her bulk up alongside Kigipigak and watched the caribou as they did their thing, snorting, hoofing the ground, etc.

A small but brave voice shouted between herself and Kigi, saying the three of them wanted to help.
Uncertain how to react, Nyra looked to her packmate to see if he would allow the three young girls to offer their aid.

Focused as he was upon minding the herd, Kigipigak was not aware of the audience upon the rise; he glanced periodically towards Nyra, finding her easily among the drifting bodies, seeking the many ugly scars that marred her. Her smell was easy to pinpoint these days: a mixture of herbal notes from her treatments and the stale taste of old and unwashed skin, somewhat geriatric in nature.

It wasn't until a voice called out that Kigipigak turned, sharply, with some unknowable emotion hitched to his square jaw, that he saw the trio. The boldest among them looked plainly after the caribou while the others hung back - notably the smallest of them, a ginger girl, was sandwiched between two others and appeared ready to bolt in the manner of a caribou calf.

It was amusing to him. Many times Kigipigak had been so bold among the men of his village; but he was not sure of these children - they were not of Moonglow, and he was loath to put Duskfire's progeny at any risk. He looked to Nyra as she approached, his brow raising slightly as if to say, 'Well this was unexpected.'

How many hunts have you seen? He called to the boldest of the three, his voice alerting some of the more aware caribou in to a trot, which was hard to contend with. You should be careful. These beasts are strong enough to kill either of us with a kick, he motions to Nyra with some purpose, and could trample you. Do not get too close!

He would determine if, at all, they would go ahead with pursuit. So far no target had presented itself and Kigipigak was not about to orchestrate something with such young strangers. Being eager was only useful if one was willing to listen and learn.

the reek and sound of the caribou was overwhelming. she caught sight of the second white wolf and sucked her breath into her mouth, staring at the mass of scarring and haunting yellow eyes. and then the man was shouting to them, and the girl looked back at him.
how many hunts? what? "uh!" she shouted back. "um, no hunts! we — this is our first!" she and druid had both hunted in rivenwood, but this was vastly different. and if they hadn't seen a caribou she highly doubted that mireille had seen one either.
the war-girl gasped as she was nearly side-swiped by one of the milling animals, galloping away from the wolves. she retreated at once to nearby space inhabited by druid and mireille, but her tail stood stiff and restless behind her, and she would mirror whatever movement the tall pale man made, hoping desperately that he would allow them to join.

the man was calling out. she pressed closer to druid, feeling the last of her nerves beginning to escape. heda seemed so fearless, almost foolish in how near she was coming to the caribou. 
the man told them to stay back. heda was almost trampled, in mireille's eyes, but even when the rivenwood girl came back, she still seemed fixed upon joining!
the sea-girl was not.
she forced herself to her full height and joined heda, paws crunching uncomfortably in the snow. flakes settled onto her crimson coat. but she did not keep far from druid, even as she reluctantly allowed her attention to be seized by the two white wolves again.
they were both covered in scars and large, though the woman was a behemoth. she made no comment of her own.

Only, one of the wolves was no stranger at all. Nyra? Druid gasped at the very same moment the man spoke, questioning the three youths about their experience.

Her eyes cut to Heda as she answered on their behalf and simultaneously skirted too close to the caribou for everyone’s comfort. Fortunately, her sister heeded the warning and came back to the fold. Druid reached out to brush her muzzle along Heda’s shoulder, eyes looking past her toward the two adults.

That’s Nyra! She’s the one I met when I first went outside Rivenwood. She fought and killed the cougar, Druid whispered to both her companions, though Mireille wouldn’t know this story. She has a lot more scars now…

Skipping Nyra with permission!

His warning had barely left his lips before a caribou came drifting in the snow, close to the wild girl, who compensated in time. The sight of this did not disturb Kigipigak visually but he felt his stomach churn and muscles tense, ready to chase and snap in that thunderous moment; but he was not needed to. The caribou moved away from them and off among its group.

Kigipigak had almost missed the answer by the girl. She was not put-off by the potential calamity of hooves, and stood there waiting, rattled but patient.

The other two were conspiratorial together, hunkered behind her, more affected by the sight of their friend being nearly trampled than anything. Kigipigak made his judgements swiftly.

It is not a good time, he called out so that the young wolves, and Nyra also, could hear him clearly. His voice booming, spurring more caribou to move away from them until it was a touch quieter.

We are monitoring them. They are sick, and they have young with them. It is a time to observe and learn. If you can keep your distance well then you may join us — but do not get close. He looked directly upon the eager girl as he said this, the command chiefly for her own sake. The mirth usually found in his eyes had vanished and he looked ever more a part of the glacier.

Between the lot of them, Kigipigak was the healthiest; then Nyra, even with her many healing wounds, and then these girls who boasted no experience. No, this would not be a hunt unless something could change his mind. He would not do the work for them.

heda stood with all her might and wanted trained toward the white wolf and the caribou.
druid's rushed whisper and the subsequent touch snapped her back to present. impatiently, she swung her head toward nyra, and then her eyes widened. "whoa! i've never seen someone with so many," she whispered back, looking past her sister to see what mireille made of the cat-killer.
the strange hunter was calling to them again. his first sentence clenched the girl's stomach with disappointment. but she tried to look for the baby caribou now, tail lashing when she spotted tinier hooves and smaller legs behind the protective bodies of the adult animals.
it is a time to observe and learn
heda nodded, still tasting the bitterness of it. he invited them to join, but his eyes were cold when he set them on her. she swallowed and gestured to her sister and mireille to follow. they would keep pace on the ridge. 
and they would stay back.
"i wanted to chase one," she mumbled to both of the other girls, not truly expecting an answer.

many things happened at once. druid was whispering as the man shouted toward them. she decided she did not like how loud his voice was, and shrank back along the rivenwood huntresses. her own eyes swept toward the woman called nyra. rosalyn wore many scars, and erzulie a few herself. they did not perturb mireille. but the sheer size of the wolfess certainly did; the sea-girl did not think she had ever seen anyboy quite so large.
she was like a great scarred seal. sobo would never believe she had seen something like that!
a stake of longing went through her heart.
the man had extended an invitation. she smirked as heda was not allowed to join the hunt, mostly out of relief that she would not see her companion's sister trampled. but then they were instructed to follow along. mireille perked her ears at heda's moody murmur.
"you were almost stomped by one of dem! you are not scared at all, you want to go back?" the scarlet pebble was incredulous. "we do not have such large t'ings in sapphique!"

Did Nyra even recognize her? She did not react to Druid’s presence, which put a pensive light in the youth’s eyes. She remembered Mahler’s warnings about her. She had treated the pup so warmly upon meeting, yet now they seemed to be nothing more than strangers. Perhaps it was for the best…

The same went for the man’s refusal to let the three young girls participate in the hunt. Quietly relieved, Druid nonetheless knew how disappointed Heda must feel. Her whispered words said as much. She reached for her sister’s shoulder, a comforting touch.

We can still learn, she reassured both her companions, mismatched eyes flicking between their faces. I wonder what’s making them sick? Don’t hunters usually target the sick? And the young?

Nyra at first didn't even fully notice Druid, for she was occupied with monitoring alongside Kigipigak. 
She was content to let him handle this, but then it seemed the youth had their full attention on her.

Nyra glanced toward the three girls and did a small double-take once she recognized Druid among them.

"Druid? Is that you?" Nyra directed toward the Rivenwood pup with a warm, gentle smile. 
"I hardly recognized you." She chuckled, her amber gaze going from her, to her two friends.
"Kigipigak is right though, young warriors. You are much safer just observing, especially right now." The Warmaiden advised, swaying her tail slowly.

Pleased that the girls would heed him, and oblivious to the whispering between them, Kigipigak only saw them take notice of Nyra and was vaguely amused by the awed looks they passed to the white warrior.

One of the three, the bold one with the voice, did not appear pleased with his answer. He was not intimidated by some young girl thing, and subsequently ignored her. Soon enough the trio was moving up the rise — but Nyra had gone to them, earning a small huff from Kigipigak, as she broke formation to advise them.

So long as the girls kept their distance Kigipigak would allow them to watch the work progress; the herd milled about in clusters, and he moved off to investigate something or other among them, leaving Nyra and the girls.

Tag him again if you want him to return!

heda nodded. "it looks like lots of them are sick," she stage-whispered back, motioning to a caribou bull that wove and stumbled unnaturally and alone from the herd. seized by the want to be daring and the need to participate somehow, the girl's muscles tightened. she would have stepped forward once more, unable to heed more than her instinct.
and then the woman that her sister had called nyra was climbing the slopes and speaking.
the caribou were momentarily forgotten as she gawked toward the ginormous woman covered in twisted scars. she reiterated the warning and that was when she learned the man's name. kigipigak. she'd never heard anything like it.
"druid said you killed a mountain lion. how?" she inquired, hungry for the knowledge of such power.

the sooner that this was over, the better. the sisters were whispering about the animals. mireille did not join their conversation this time. she swept her bright green eyes over the thundering groups and watched the leggy man wend his way between them. 
nyra's appearance snapped her attention back. fear and reverence pooled in the crimson pup's belly. she inched closer to druid, desperately thankful for heda's ability to speak to complete strangers.
mireille was silent and watchful. she counted the scars cut into the white pelt and marvelled. would sobo know how to heal such wounds? she thought that he might.
thinking of the sea swept her with homesickness.

Nyra broke up the girls’ whispered conversation by acknowledging Druid. She raised her head from its hunkered position and smiled tentatively at the woman. She wondered why Nyra had failed to recognize her right away, though it wasn’t something she was going to ask out loud.

She opened her mouth to say something when Heda leaped in to ask Nyra a question. Druid’s eyes snapped over to her sister, then drifted back to the white she-wolf. It was as if her sister had read her mind. Ever since it had happened, Druid had wondered how Nyra had pulled off such a feat single-handedly and lived to tell the tale. Druid hoped to never confront such a large cat on her own, though she wouldn’t mind learning Nyra’s ways just to be prepared.

Nyra smiled softly as one of the girls boldly inquired as to how she had killed a cougar by herself. 
The warmonger looked between the three of them and saw the same desire to know in their eyes. 

"It was not an easy feat." Nyra sighed, "I gained a great many wounds that day. Cougars are formidable opponents - very strong, agile, and silent in movement. Honestly I myself don't know how I survived. Perhaps it was mostly luck." Nyra chuckled softly, turning a brief glance to the caribou herd Kigipigak was monitoring. 
A soft hum escaped her lips before she turned her gaze back to the young girls gathered before her.

nyra was very casual for someone who had sustained such heavy wounds. heda stared at them as the woman spoke, unashamed. luck, the older member of their species said. but the girl was not so sure. nyra was formidable and weighted with muscle. 
she looked at druid, and then at mireille. she wanted to hear more details. the other white wolf had ranged out and on. "you're with him. is that moonglow?" she asked, tail waving behind her. "if a mountain lion came right now, could you kill another one?" heda blurted

heda was the child in school who was rather loathed for asking lengthy questions during class. mireille was not annoyed, per se, but the longer that they all stood in the snow talking of nyra and cougars and luck, the colder the sea-girl felt herself growing.
"my maman rosalyn be havin' quite a few scars herself," she contributed. "i t'ink t'ere be a story behind all of dem." her teeth chattered. she quieted and pressed closer to druid. 
it was all well and good, but she wanted shelter and to be away from the herds, the strangers, even the very intriguing nyra. mireille stepped forward, hoping to indicate to them all that they should keep moving.